Login |  Register
Your position: Sports Comet -> Group -> Australian Football -> The Roller Derby Twins Spectacle [Duan!]
The Roller Derby Twins Spectacle [Duan!] 0 comments
  • guest
  • IP:65.55.109.*
  • published in 2009-10-13 23:00:00 
    quote 1 floor
  • I was a little alarmed to find out the NY Times did a huge feature on Katie and Kristy Barry two nice young woman whom I had the pleasure of meeting for a drink a couple weeks ago.Katie had email ...
  • I was a little alarmed to find out the NY Times did a huge feature on Katie and Kristy Barry two nice young woman whom I had the pleasure of meeting for a drink a couple weeks ago.

    Katie had emailed Deadspin a few times in recent months inquiring about internships and professing her love for Deadspin. This was one from back in May:

    Hello AJ

    I'm a Deadspin follower and loyal reader! And I'm a girl. I have an identical twin sister ("Barry Blondes"- no asterisk) and a looooove for sports. I play every sport under the sun retractable roof or rafters.

    I know take a number...but I'm looking for an internship/job. Or a chance to freelance?

    I interned at Sports Illustrated with my sister then the Jersey Journal (yeah I know) covering Little League games roller derbies and kick-ball leagues. It's a daily newspaper. I worked at the radio station WBGO in Newark doing on-air recaps of NJ's Ironmen (indoor soccer) Devils games and Rutgers football.

    When I interned at Radar magazine last year one of my first duties was transcribing a Will Leitch interview (no easy task) seeing as he laughs/talks at the same time. But I was happy to do it! I love the guy's work and read his (tamer) pieces in New York magazine. When anything sports-related came up I was on it. One of my favorite Radar assignments was the opening of the Sports Museum (RIP). My allegiances to Ohio sports teams sometimes effects relationships and friendships and I refuse to believe King James will become to Knick.

    For Christmas one year my then-boyfriend gave me an autographed Rick Reilly picture saying "Katie please don't take my job."

    I don't want his ESPN job- just a job in sports. And I love Deadspin! The approval ratings the take no shit the fun-feisty aspect. I also have some good dirt. I liked your piece "Black Eyes Skinned Knees and a Pitiful Excuse For a Man"...I play on a few leagues around the city one tonight and can attest that bruises are sexy. And badges of honor. I bartend now and am getting a little stir crazy...especially when I have to clean up blood/vomit or break up people bickering over the remote.

    If a position is/isn't up for grabs I'd like to meet you either way and have a beer/coffee. And talk about my email or how the Cavs imploded tonight! Or not...

    Thanks for reading- hope to hear from you soon!
    Katie Barry

    Of course I get a lot of these inquiries and I usually pass over 95% of them. (No offense to those who do inquire about them.) But Katie was persistent. Plus during the same week I had the bright idea to buy a gerbil and a frog to recreate football highlights I thought it would be an equally inspired idea to have two blonde 24-year-old twins who play roller derby intern at Deadspin. The masthead would be kind of sick:

    Gerbil (Gerbil@deadspin.com)
    Frog (Frog@deadspin.com)

    Interns: The Roller Derby Twins

    You know plus Blazer Girl Moe and Parene the Bentern and all the other comic book characters/stunt-players I'd let tag-a-long for the ride. This is how my mind works.

    It seemed a little too involved to actually have them on-board full-time for an internship but they were funny and twin-sy and appeared to be motivated to do something for the site. Unfortunately they couldn't join a roller derby league without health insurance. They also pitched the idea of them joining an co-ed Australian Rules football league. I think that could potentially be amusing. We'll see.

    Unfortunately the Times story came out it became vulture-bait on Gawker and now an anonymous former SI writer/editor blasted the Roller Derby Twins as total incompetents in the comments section.

    Bummer. I spoke to Katie about the thing and she's annoyed but also said she doesn't want to get in a "pissing match with a skunk." "LizzieLui" has not responded to an email request for further comment. I'm a little annoyed that they neglected to say their interview with me may or may not be used as some color for a NYT story about their job search — but they did insist on paying for drinks.

    For most young people (and not so young people) it's extremely difficult to not live paycheck-to-paycheck in this city. It's tougher for those with not-so-lofty writing aspirations. Even if you have years of experience and connections the outlook is quite bleak. You just hold on for dear life for as long as you can.

    Here's the most positive take on this story:

    "Those twins SHOULD work at Deadspin. The frog and the gerbil can't live forever!"

    So they have that going for them.

    ****

    Thanks for your continued support of Deadspin. Now it's time to make the sausage.




  • keywords:twins  duan  spectacle  
  • Say what I think
    Newest published topics
    Newest replyed topics
    Topic keywords more
    should(326)    team(278)    win(261)    question(260)    handball(249)    quot(241)    amp(230)    start(217)    racing(215)    football(210)    volleyball(208)    camping(204)    bike(202)    game(197)    race(192)    pool(191)    like(185)    snowboard(185)    think(183)    climbing(164)    play(155)    ice(148)    rugby(144)    skating(142)    yer(132)    sports(130)    running(129)    day(129)    world(129)    golf(127)